Becoming a Self-Reflective Teacher: A Meaningful Research Process

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how a novice instructor used her own teaching practice as a focus of reflective inquiry. The researcher studied her teaching in two phases over a 6-month time frame while she was employed as an instructor in a large health insurance company. Data were gathered using multiple methods, including journals, videotape of classroom experiences, peer observation, mentor discussion, and one-on-one interviews with students. Four major themes were identified: (1) the corporation, (2) charting the classroom territory, (3) relationships, and (4) pedagogy. Results demonstrate that through reflection, the researcher could decipher her teaching in an environment that was hectic, changeable, and isolated from peers. Self-reflection assisted the researcher in identifying and understanding the key concepts that affect instructional development, delivery, and evaluation. Awareness of the importance that relationships between the researcher and her students had on lesson clarity, assessment of comprehension, and learning needs was elucidated. Conversations between the researcher and her mentor promoted a reflective dialogue where expert feedback assisted her, in a nonevaluative fashion, with respect to organizing and decoding her teaching experiences. Attention to the benefits of alternative teaching strategies such as cooperative learning was highlighted. An understanding of the intricacy and dynamic nature of teacher experiences in the classroom has implications for novice and experienced physical therapist educators. This work underscores the importance of developing the skill of reflective practice as a method for examining and assessing the complexities of one's teaching and for promoting self-directed professional development. Reflection on her teaching has become a habit for the researcher and continues to influence her current work as an instructor in a physical therapy department.